[time-nuts] H-Maser, but not on ebait...

[Tom Van Baak]

> One more question.  I noted in the service manual where it states that the quartz
> resonator is coated with teflon to prevent "hydrogen interaction" or some such term.
> Does that mean that the monatomic hydrogen in the resonator would react with the
> quartz and be consumed or is there more a concern for sputtering of the quartz
> surface?

I can't give you an authoritative answer but google for the
three words maser wall shift and you will see a large set of
professional papers over the decades that explain the issue.

I believe it is one of the main reasons that Cs thermal beams
won out over H-masers in the 1960's decision over which
method to redefine the SI second. H-masers could be made
more stable but Cs beams could be proved more accurate.

/tvb